Tri-City teen triggers barrage of ugly comments. She was worried about animals

An announcement that a 16 year old in Kennewick planned to lead a protest at a Richland Starbucks triggered an uproar on social media.

More than 1,000 people weighed in on Tri-City news media posts, most bad-mouthing the Kamiakin High teen and her efforts to protect animals.

“This next generation is dumb,” said one person.

“Entitled much?” said another.

“So once again, a snot-nosed kid who thinks (s)he has all the answers is going to dictate to others what they should be doing,” one poster wrote. “Well, wise up, kid. You’ll die at 90 never making a bit of difference in this world.”

When she read the responses, Waylynn Dunn reacted with a panic attack. She worried about the group’s safety.

But she decided to go through with the protest, though it turned out to be more of a sit in.

“I can take mean comments online,” she said.

She and three other high school and college students showed up at the Starbucks on Gage Boulevard on Saturday and camped out at the coffee shop’s outdoor seating area with signs that said, “Dairy is Cruel” and “More Bucks for Starbucks — Stop Upcharging for Vegan Milks.”

The Richland protest was one of several held across the nation in connection with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, after Starbucks released a new “sustainability commitment.”

Grateful for Starbucks vegan options

The coffee chain’s chief executive, Kevin Johnson, said producing alternative milks from almonds, coconuts, soy or oats is friendlier to the environment than dairy milk and that consumers would be encouraged to choose vegan milks, according to PETA.

Dunn said she was grateful that Starbucks is offering dairy-free options, but it seems hypocritical to charge extra for vegan milk when the chain says it wants to encourage more purchases of vegan beverages.

“They are not aligning their words with their action,” she said.

She’s concerned about the environment, she said. But she’s also concerned about cows that are artificially inseminated and then have their calves taken away.

There was one unpleasant episode at the student sit-in Saturday, with a woman who apparently had shown up to harass them. She asked questions but cut them off each time they tried to answer.

But another customer stepped up to tell her “shame on you.” And a third customer told the students that he wished more of the older generation were like them.

The students accomplished their goal, said Wayland, who is a Running Start high school student attending Washington State University Tri-Cities.

“Our main goal was to educate people and bring a message to Starbucks,” she said.

She said she won’t stop fighting for animals “no matter what people say.”

However, she would like to see less belittling and more civility in online conversations.

”When writing comments online take a minute to realize there is someone on the other side of the screen and ask yourself who your comment is benefiting and educating,” she said.

This story was originally published January 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.